De-Winterizing Popup

[whitestar505]

Folks,

   I know that this question comes up every year but this year it is more important to me than before. First year I have had to winterize. They tell me it is easy and fast to get it back up and running. The only thing I do not understand is the hot water tank and the bypass. Flush out the lines first and then  take the bypass out of line and reconnect lines to hot water tank? Flush tank? Am I ready to go?

[Preacher]

Before I take the bypass off, I flush the lines.  I then take off the bypass and connect the lines to the hotwater heater.  I will then (usually but not always) fill it, the HWH, up two or three times and then drain it.  I haven't done this, but I do know of someone who would pour 1/2 cup clorox into a gallon of water and run it through his system after he flushed it out. He used the same method to do this that he did to winterize the unit.  (obviously this is before he reconnected they HWH lines).

[Ab Diver]

No reason to "take the bypass out of line and then reconnect the lines to hot water tank". The bypass kit should have simple 90

[Tim5055]

No reason to "take the bypass out of line and then reconnect the lines to hot water tank". The bypass kit should have simple 90

[Ab Diver]

Actually you are describing the "high end" bypass kit. The standard kit is nothing more than a hose with two screw ends on it that you do in fact have to remove/replace each time

THAT'S  standard??? I'll admit I've never seen a plain old length of hose with two screw ends on it sold as a "bypass kit". (might as well just buy a plain old length of hose with two screw ends on it ) Sheesh, what a PITA every year-- more opportunity to bugger up the threads on the HWH.... NOT something I'd wanna risk. And as far as the "low end" goes, why buy a bypass kit at all? Just connect both hose ends to a single pipe nipple and "save a buck or two". That would accomplish the same thing as a bypass *hose* (unless the HWH hoses can't reach each other).
 
I'm certainly not ragging on you, Tim. But to me, this is a case where the extra cupla bucks just seems well spent.
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[tlhdoc]

THAT'S  standard???
Yes that is standard.  A piece of hose that is shaped like this |______| with  screw ends on the ends of the |.


why buy a bypass kit at all?
I didn't buy mine, they come standard with Fleetwood/Coleman trailers

1 I flush the lines to get the antifreeze out of the lines.
2 Attach the water lines to the water heater (unscrew the bypass hose first)
3 Then add a bleach solution (1/4 cup bleach to a gallon of water
4 Pour the bleach water into the tank and then fill the water tank with water
5 Run water through the all of the lines until you can smell bleach in the water coming out of the faucet
6 Let this sit for a few hours or overnight
7 Drain the bleach water out of the tank
8 Fill the tank with fresh water and flush all water lines (you can also add some vinegar to the water to take the bleach smell away)
9 You may want to flush the water lines another time or two with just water

Now you lines are sanitized and ready to use.  You want to use the bleach water in the water heater to kill any bacteria in there.

[MtnCamper]

 Just connect both hose ends to a single pipe nipple and "save a buck or two". That would accomplish the same thing as a bypass *hose* (unless the HWH hoses can't reach each other).

Can't do that, cause they aren't pipe threads. They got a plastic seal inside with an straight thread. The plasitic tube reaches from outlet to inlet, so it's easy.

[whitestar505]

All,

   As Always thanks for your respones. They will come to good use.